Ross, Dempster lead Red Sox past Astros

David Ross slammed two homers and Ryan Dempster earned his first victory in a Red Sox uniform to pace a 7-3 victory over the Astros tonight.

Ross blasted solo homers off old friend Erik Bedard in the second and fourth as part of a four-hit night and the Sox were nevery seriously challenged by baseball's worst team.

With the victory, the Red Sox improve to 16-7, good for the best record in the American League.

While Ross provided the offense, Dempster made sure it wasn't necessary with a workmanlike effort. He struck out 10 in six innings, allowing four hits and two runs. In the process, he joined Pedro Martinez as the only pitchers to strike out seven or more in each of their first five Red Sox starts.

The game was played at a glacial pace, thanks largely to Bedard, the former Red Sox left-hander who takes his time between pitches. Bedard's pace didn't affect the Red Sox hitters, who recorded 17 hits, including four homers -- the two by Ross, and solo shots by David Ortiz and Will Middlebrooks.

When Alex Wilson recorded a strikeout in the ninth, by the way, it was the team's 232nd of April, the most by the team in any month in franchise history.